Allen West’s losing campaign cost upward of $18 million
theGRIO REPORT - Allen West's defeat in Florida not only ends his quest to return for another term in the House of Representatives, but it also comes with a pretty hefty price tag...
Allen West’s defeat in Florida not only ends his quest to return for another term in the House of Representatives, but it also comes with a pretty hefty price tag.
According to Politico, West spent $18.1 million on his 2012 campaign run, nearly quadrupling the amount that his opponent Democrat Patrick Murphy spent, $4.2 million.
In fact, West’s campaign bank account was overflowing so much, it was also reported that West had an excess of $1.5 million left over after Election Day.
The controversial Tea Party representative has been raking in the money since early fall for his campaign, raising 1.9 million in October and November alone, according to finance reports from the Federal Election Commission.
But West’s pricey campaign still wasn’t enough to defeat Democratic newcomer Murphy, who beat West by just over 2,000 votes.
From commercials questioning each other’s morals to West’s fervent insistence on a recount, the South Florida congressional race seemed to be one of the most explosive and expensive of the year.
When Murphy was announced the winner last November, West repeatedly contested the results, despite the vote difference falling outside of the range of having an official recount.
With Florida voting at a close and Murphy identified as the clear winner, West finally conceded on November 20th.
Follow Brittany Tom on Twitter @brittanyrtom
